DEC. 28. 2009, NEWS UPDATE
Senate approves health care reform bill. Merry Christmas, Barack Obama. Merrier Christmas, Big Pharma and Big Insurance.
No Republican Senators vote in favor. Their political gear shift still stuck in Reverse.
One Republican, Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning, did not vote, citing
"family commitments." Sorry, Mr. President, but that doesn't make vote bi-partisan.
Senate bill now must be reconciled with House bill. Republican Congressional leaders still determined to kill reform. Apparently not reconciled to reconciliation.
Senate made real hash of health care reform debate...reminding us of old adage: Laws are like sausages. It's better not to see them being made.
Former DNC Chairman Howard Dean called on Senate to kill the bill. Aw, he's just still ticked off President Obama didn't name him to head Department of Health and Human Services.
SC Sen. Jim DeMint still trying to make health care reform Obama's Waterloo. Problem is, Republicans don't have a Duke of Wellington.
Historical observation on South Carolina: "Too small to be a nation, too large to be an insane asylum."
Records show Michelle Bachmann's family farm has received government subsidies of more than $250k in recent years. She's the Republican member of the House from Minnesota who routinely rails against government hand-outs, health care reform and Obama's "socialist" agenda. Guess some socialism begins at home.
GOP National Chairman Michael Steele criticized for charging fees for speeches. Maybe he just didn't understand job description. Criticism should really be directed at people foolish enough to pay to hear him speak.
Ford offers buyout to all its factory workers. Wonder if Ford considered what would happen if they all took it?
Airline bombing plan fails when bomb doesn't go off. Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolitano says after incident occurred, "the system worked." The only reason "the system worked," Ma'am, is because the bomb didn't!
Woman attacks Pope. Apparently got him confused with Silvio Berlusconi.
Christmas retail sales up 3.5% over last year. Merry Christmas, China.
Online sales up 13%. Looks like this internet fad might last.
In televison news-Diane Sawyer takes over as anchor of "World News Tonight" and George Stephanopoulus takes over as host of "Good Morning America." ABC has now given us an exciting new competition in TV news-which program will be the more boring? So far, it's a toss-up.
Tennis star Serena Williams named Female Athlete of the Year. Zenyatta, an unbeaten horse-until now-finished second. Serena's lucky Zenyatta didn't have a better backhand. Ms. Williams also won the award for Best Tantrum of Year.